Shoe and method of producing the same



' Feb. 13, 1945. H GORDO 2,369,226

SHOE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME Filed Sept. 5, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet l FIG-.1.

ar vucnm Hiram Gordon a umna/u Feb. 13, 1945. H GORD N 2,369,226

SHOE AND METHOD OF IRODUCING THE SAME Filed Sept. 5, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 glvvuczwk v HiramGordon Feb. 13, 1945. 1 H. GORDON 2,369,226

SHOE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME Filed Sept. 5, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet-3 FIG. 8.

awe/WM Hiram Gordon Feb. 13, 1945 GORDON 2,369,226

SHOE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME Filed Sept. 5, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Hiram Gordon Feb. 13, 1945; H, ORD 2,369,226

SHOE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME Fi led Sept. 5, 1942 5 Sheet s-Sheet 5 Hiram ordon Patented Feb. 13, 1945 .HUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Hiram Gordon, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Walker T. Dickerson Company, Columbus,

' Ohio, a corporationof Ohio Application September 5, 1942, Serial No. 457,412 I i g 6 Claims. ('01. 36-85) taken through the last on the plane indicated by This invention relates to shoe construction and manufacture, having particular reference to women's shoes of the type employing metallic shank stiffeners in the arch regions thereof.

Such arch reenforced shoes, as now generally constructed, are characterized by stillness or rigidity in the arch portions. This rigidity is provided in order to retain'the foot of the wearer in certain positive positions as well as to preserve the general design and configuration of Such rigidity is obtained in part by the shoe. incorporating in the sole structure of such shoes metallic shank stilleners which, customarily, are formed to comprise rib-reenforced I stampings of sheet metal, the latter being placed in the shoe so that they extend from the heel to the metatarsal regions through the arch of the shoe.

In present day womens shoes employing me-v such normal foot movements and weight distribution. I

It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the present invention to provide an improved shoe which, when properly fitted to the foot of the wearer, will provide for free and more normal movement on the part of the bones and muscles of the foot and which, at the same time, will provide for the proper and improved support to maintain normality thereof in the act of walking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe having a relatively yieldable, flexible or resilient inner arch region, which latter is so designed that when a shoe containing the same is worn, the samewill tend to cling r adhere to the inner arch of the foot and yet will possess such flexibility or resiliency as to enable the inner or spring arch of the foot to function freely and normally so that the weight of the body may I be applied naturally to the outer weight-bearing to the insole rib;

the line IIII of Fig. land disclosing the in clination of the last bottom at the inner side of its heel region;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view tom construction of the insole employed in my improved shoe; I

Fig. 4 is a plan view inwhich the fore part of the insole is shownas attached to the fore part of the last and with the heel region of the insole laterally displaced withv respect to that ofthe last;

sole whenfinally attached to the last and illustrating the adhering engagement of the instep or arch region of the insole with complemental portionsof the last; l l

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line VI-VL ofFig, 5; I

Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line VII-VII of Fig. 5; I

Fig. 8 is a perspective view disclosing the heelleveling. and. metatarsal pad-positioning insert of the shoe; I

Fig. 9 is a perspective View disclosing the lining of the upper formation of the shoe positioned on the last;

Fig. 10 is a similar view disclosing the step of applying theheel leveling and metatarsal padpositioning insert to the shoe lining;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view disclosing the counter of the shoe upper;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view disclosing the application of the counter over the lining, and insert;

Fig. 13 is a similar view disclosing the application of the wire shank stifiener to the sole structure of my improved shoe, the upper-formation being drawn around the last and stapled Fig. 14 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the heel portion of a completed shoe;

Fig. 15 is a similar view through the arch portion thereof.

In general, my improved shoe is produced by providing a last which on the inner side thereof has its bottom surface in the heel region out.-

wardly beveled, so that when. an insole is lasted thereon, an inclined wedge effect is imparted to the heel-engaging portions of the insole along its inner side.. Also, the arch region of .the last along its inner side is more deeplycut than is customary and merged with the beveled heel portion in order to cause the insole of the shoe showing the bot- Fig. 5 is a perspective view disclosing the in;-

along its inner side to engage closely-the cor-.

responding portions of the wearers foot. y

In connection with this last, I provide a channeled insole which is so patterned that when the fore part thereof is tacked to the last, the heel portions of the insole will project angularly and laterally over the outer margin of the heel portion of the last, so that when the heel portion of the insole is brought into proper registration with the heel of the last and tacked or otherwise attached thereto, the inner arch portion of the insole will be flexed so that it will pressagainst the deeply cut arch of the last.

Another feature of the insole is the fact that the marginal rib thereof to which is fastened the shoe upper, instead of extending completely.

around the insole through the arch and fore part regions thereof, is discontinued at the ball portion of its inner edge, eliminating the rigidity of the rib in the region of the inner arch of the insole. Byso'eliminating the rib, the inner arch of the insole is skived or feathered so that it will possess reduced thickness and increased flexibility. I

Following the securing of the insole to the last,

I the shoe upper is then applied over the last with the outer covering of the upper formation drawn downwardly in order .to expose the lining. There is then applied tothe'exposed lining a heel level ingand metatarsal pad positioning insert which, in the finished shoe, is disposed between the lining and outer covering of the upper formation. The insert comprises a molded or formed body ofany suitable material and is shaped to conform to the inner arch and the inner side of the heel regions of the shoe. The insert at its heel end is pr vided with a wedge-shaped flange which com- .pl'ements the beveled portionof the last and the "correspondingly inclined portion of the heel region of the insole,so that the level of the heel attaching area of the'insole is restored, bringing the same into conformity. with the level of the fore part of the insole. At its forward end, the

body of the insert is Shaped to provide a pocket adapted for the reception of a compressible metatarsal pad The shape of'the body of the insert is such that when applied around the heel of the last and insole, the pad-receiving pocket at the from approximately the longitudinal center of formation is secured to the insole ribs and the outsole laid and secured to the insole and the upper formation by any standard process of shoe manufacture.

With this general description of my invention, reference may now be had to the specific form thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In Fig. 1, there has been disclosed a last 20, the same including a wood body having a heel section 2| and a fore part section 22, said sections being pivotally united as at 23. The bottom of the last, or the top thereof, as viewed in Fig. l,

differs from lasts of customary design by the fact that the heel section on the inner side thereof is angularly cut or beveled, as indicated at 24,

the bottom surface of the heel section to the outer marginal edges thereof. The opposite side of the bottom surface of the heel section is approximately flat or horizontal, as indicated at 25 and I have found it advantageous to impart such an-' gularity to the beveled surface 24 that at its outer edgethe same will be approximately T36 to of an inch below the horizontal plane of the surface 25. The inner arch region 26 of the last is 'alsomore deeply'cut than the corresponding region of a a last of ordinary construction so that the surfaces comprising the arch :26 will uninterruptedly blend or merge with the angular heel surface 24.

Further, when the arch'of the last merges with the flat fore part 21, I provide a shallow depression 28' which is adapted-to register with the metatarsal region of a shoe produced on the last,

forward end thereof will be properly positioned for the reception of the metatarsal pad, the latter being automatically located and restrained again-st slippage;-

Following the positioning of the insert, the

same is retained in position by. the provision of a substantially U-shaped upper reenforcing counter. The latter is formed to include resiliently separable sides which, when the counter is applied to the last, resiliently grip the insert and hold the latter against accidental displacement.

' After the application of the counter, there is then applied to the insole a wire shank stiffener,

which is of the type disclosed in my copending' application, Serial No. 445,836 filed June '1, 1942,

which issued as PatentNo. 2,342,466, dated February 22, 1944. This stiffener, in its preferred form, embraces a light-weight wire structure con-.

'faces'26 of the last.

so that the insole of the shoe will be slightly raised in the metatarsal area for the reception of supports hereinafter described.

With the use of this last, I'then apply an'insole of the type disclosed at.29 in Fig. '3. The insole is formed, as usual, from leather or other equiva- Y lent materials and is provided with an upper attaching' rib 30. This rib'extends "from the heel portion 3| of the insole around the outer margins of the latter. Instead of terminatingevenly on both sides of the insole, the rib terminates on the inner side of the insole contiguous to the ball region thereof. By eliminating the rib from the inner side of the shank or arch of the insole, the

latter when incorpo'rated in the shoe possesses increased flexibility, and such flexibility is further augmented by skiving the inner arch or shank of the insole as at 32 from the .point where the rib terminates to the inner heel edge of said insole.

Another distinctive feature of the insole is the fact that it is originally patterned and out so that it does not conform accurately to the marginal configuration of the last bottom. Thus, as shown in Fig. 4, when the fore part of the insole is tacked or otherwise temporarily secured to the forepart of the last, with the margins of the insole fore part registering with those of the last,

the shank and heel portions of the insole are oifset outwardly and laterally with respect to the corresponding portions of the last. Therefore,

'when the heel portion of the outsoleis moved lat- Y erally so that its margins will register with those of the last, the arch or shank regions of the insole will flex or buckleiinwardly, closely hugging or clinging to the arch o-r shank surfaces of the last,-and these flexing or buckling forces of the ins-ole are preserved in the completed shoe. This action is illustratedin Fig. 6, wherein it -'will be noted that the skived inner edges of the insole shank closely adhere to the deeply cut sur- This action is obtained independently of the tacks shown at 33 which are used in temporarily fastenin the insole on the last. When the fore part of the insole isfirst secured to the last, the parts assume the position disclosed in Fig. 4, and when the insole is finally positioned on the last and attached thereto, the parts assume the positions disclosed in Fig. 5.

With the insole so lasted, the upper formation of the shoe is then applied around the last. This upper formation comprises the usual outer covering 34 of leather or other standard materials used in shoe manufacture. Within the outer covering, there is provided the usual inner lining 35 of leather, fabric or the like. The outer covering. is turned down, as depicted in Fig. 9, leaving the lining in an applied position over the margins of the last and insole. There is then applied over the lining a heel-leveling and metatarsal pad locating insert. This insert has been illustrated in Figs. 8 and 10. The insert consists of a flexible body 36 of leather or the like which is shaped to conform to the inner arch and heel regions of the shoe, the insert being applied to the inner arch and heel side of the shoe only. The heel i portion of the insert is formed with a thickened wedge-shaped heel segment 31, the angularity of which conforms with that of the beveled surface 24 of the last. The top surface of the heel segment, as viewed in Fig. 10, is flat or horizontal and registers with the corresponding flat or horizontal surface of the heel portion of the insole overlying the surface 25 of the last. The segment 31 is employed to restore the horizontal plane of the bottom heel area of the insole so that the same will register with the horizontal fore part of the insole and thereby provide for the proper laying of the shoe outsole. At this point, it will be observed that by providing the last with the beveled surface 24, corresponding inclination will be imparted to the heel portion of the insole in the completed shoe, enabling the upper surface of the insole of the completed shoe along its inner marginal edge to possess a slight inclination, as indicated at 38.

The forward portion of the insert terminates in a pocket 39 which is shaped to receive a metatarsal pad or cushion 40, which may be formed, as usual, from rubber or the like. Be-

cause of the design of the body portion of the a insert and its manner of application to the heel region of the last, the pocket 39 and the pad carried thereby will be positively located over the depressed area 28 of the last, enabling the metatarsal pad to be accurately and properl po sitioned in the shoe.

The upper formation of the shoe includes a counter 4! of a stiff molded material. The counter is substantially U-shaped in formation,

as shown in Fig. 11, and is shaped to comprise a heel embracing body 42 having resiliently sep rable sides 43 and inwardly directed flanges 44.

Another important feature found in my improved shoe is the employment-of thewire shank stiffener shown at 45. By virtue of the construction of thisstiffener, flexibility is imparted to the shank or arch region of the shoe and yet proper support is provided for the foot of the wearer. The usual shank stiffener employed in'arch shoes comprises a ribbed blank of sheet metal which is stiffand unbending and would not be satisfactory in the resilient inner arch type of shoe here under consideration. Therefore, I constructed the stiffener 45 to include an outer leg member 46, an inner leg member 41 and a central tie member 48, Theinner and outer leg members are joined at'their forward ends by a bow 49 and the heel end of the outer leg member 46 terminates in'a yoke 59, the tie member 48 being joined with the bow lt and the yoke 50 so that when weight is applied to the shank stiffener, the tie member is placed under tension and elongation of the stiffener resisted. The outer leg member lies closely adjacent to'the rib of the insole, as shown in Fig. 13. The bow 49' and contiguous portions of the shank stiffener are shaped to constitute a seat for the metatarsal pad or cushion 4E]. The leg members 48 and 41 may be bowed to follow the arch of the insole and exert upwardly directedpressure thereon in the finished shoe.

With the outer covering of the upper formation turned down, as shown in Fig, 12, andwith the insert occupying the position illustrated in Fig.

10, the counter is spread slightly by separating its sides and forced over the heel portion of a shoe so that it will frictionally' engage and grip the insert and the contiguous portions of the iniing, positively holding the insert against displacement. The counter exerts a firm frictional grip on the heel portions of the shoe and when anplied, as shown in Fig. 12, will maintain its operative position without use of extraneous fasteners.

Afterthe shank stiffener has been thus positioned, the outer covering 34 of the upper formation is then restored to normal position fully covering the lining, and the margins of the upper formation may be stapled as at 5| or otherwise secured to the rib 30 of the insole. The outsole 52 may then be securedto the shoe by any one of 1 I the severalcommercially practiced methods, such asby the use of the welt method, Littleway, Mc-

or cementing methods, all of which are well understood by those skilled in the art.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided an improved shoe wherein particular attention has been given to the inner side of the shank or arch construction of the shoe to provide improved flexibility and resiliency in that area. The outer side of the shank or arch region is of conventional design, except for the improved support provided by the use of the wire shank stiffener. A feature of my shoe is the tendency thereof to cling to the foot of the wearer, particularly in the inner arch region. 'Most' shoes of conventional design require that the same be firmly attached to the foot of the wearer,

that is, the foot of the wearer is drawn down I upon the insole by ties, straps and the like,'

whereas in my present shoe, due to the resilient pressures applied to the inner side of the arch, the same exert upward forces on the footof the wearer when the shoe is properlyfittedx The resillency of the shoe enables the bones, muscles and tendons comprising the inner or spring arch of the foot to respond freely and naturally to normal" walking movements and enables the weight of the wearer to be properly sustained in a balanced manner on the outer weight-bearing arch structure of the foot. WhatI claim is: v

1f Iuthev manufacture of shoes, the methodof lasting insoles in which is utilized a last having its bottom heel surface upwardly and outwardly beveled from approximately the longitudinal center of the heel surface to its inner marginal edge, the inner shank region of the last being relieved to a greater degree than the complemental outer shank region thereof, the steps whichcomprise applying to the bottom surface of the .last an insole whose marginal configura-j tion is such that when the fore part of the .in--

sole is broughtinto-registration with the fore,

part of the last bottom and secured thereto, the

heel region of the insole is displaced' laterally with respect to that of 'thelast, said insole having a marginal rib adapted for attachment with the upper-forming parts of a shoe, said rib extending onthe outer edge of the insole from the heel region through the shank and around the along the inner edge of the latter to the ball portion of the insole where the rib is terminated,

the shankregion of the insole along itsinner edge portions -being skived to produce a beveled fore'part and toe of the insole and continuing region of reduced thickness adapted for registration withthe relieved inner shank region of the last, flexing the insole in its own plane to effect registration of the heel regions'of the insole with those of the last, whereby to cause the skived inner shank region to flex into adhering contact with the relieved surfaces of the inner shank re-j gion of the last, and securing the heel region of the insole in its position of registration with theheel regions of the last. i

2. In the manufacture of shoes, the method of lasting insoles in which is utilized a last wherein the bottom surface of the last has'its heel region beveled on one side thereof andwherein the inner side of the shank region of the last isrelieved to a greater degree than the outer shank region, the steps which comprise applying to the bottom surface of the last an insole, the marginal configuration of the said insole being such that when its fore partisbrougm into registration with the fore part of the .last bottom and secured thereto, the heel region of the insole is its heel region through the shank region and around the fore :part and toe of the insole and continuing along the inner edge of the insole. to

the ball portion thereof where the rib is terminated, the shank region of the insole along. its

inner edge being skived to produce a beveled region of reduced thickness and adapted for'close adherence with the last on which the shoe is made, the heel of said insole being inclined up- 'wardly from its longitudinal center to the inner marginal edge thereof, a heel leveling insert having a wedge-shaped heel segment applied to the inclined heel region of the insole, said/upperfor-ming members consisting of an outer covering. and an inner lining between-which said insertfis positioned, and 'a counter formed to resiliently and directly engage said insert.

4. A shoe comprising an insole having a marginal rib adapted for attachment with the upperforming members of the shoe, said rib extending on the outer edge of the insole from the heel region of the latter through the shank andaround the fore part and toe of the insole, said rib continuing along the inner edge of the insole to its ball portion Where the rib is'terminated-the inner shank region of the insole rib being skived to produce a beveled region of reduced thickness, the inner heel region of said insole being inclined upwardly from approxiginal edge thereof, said upper-forming members displaced laterally with respect to that of the last, said insole having an outturned marginal rib adapted for' attachment with the upper-forming parts of a shoe, said rib extending onthe outer edge of the insole from the heel region through theshank and around the fore p arlt and toe of the insole of said insole to the ball portion thereof where the rib is terminated, the shank region of the insole along its inner part being skived to ,pro-

duce'a region of reduced thickness which is adapted fortregistration with the relieved inner shank region of the last, flexing the insole to chest registration of the heel margins thereof with those of the last and to cause its skived inner shank region to flex into adhering contact with the relieved surfaces-of the inner shank region of the last, securing the heel region'of the insole in its position of registration with the heel margins of the last, with the heel region of the insole conforming in inclination to the beveled heel surface ofthe last, applying over the last the upper-forming parts of the shoe comprising an outer covering and an inner lining, separating the covering from the lining, applying over the lining and in registration with the inner heel and shank regions of the last and heel leveling 1 insert, said insert having an insole-leveling segment adapted for registration with the,beveled rear inclined regions of the heel portion of the insole, retaining said insert in its applied positi'onby placing over the same a resilient counter disposed'between the inner lining and outer cov- 'e'ring of the upper, and securing the marginal edges of theupper to said insole rib,

A shoe comprising an insole having a marginal rib adapted for attachment with the :upperforming members of a shoe, said rib extending on and continuing along the inner edgeing, a heel-leveling insert having a wedge-shaped l 'heel segment applied to the inclinedheel region of the sole, said insert comprising a curved body shaped to conform to theinner shankregions of the shoe, the .iorward portion of said body in registration with the bal1portion of the insole being shaped to produce a pad-receiving pocket, and a to the rear of said" mately its longitudinal center to the inner' marcounter surrounding the heel region of the shoe and positioned between the outer covering and inner lining of the shoe upper in clamping engagement with said insert.

5. A shoe comprising an insole having a mar- ,ginal rib adapted for attachment with the upperformmg members of the shoe, said rib extendin on the outer edge of/the insole'from the heel region of the latter through the shank and around the fore part and toe of the insole, said rib continuing along the inner edge of the insole to its ball portion where the rib is terminated, the inner shank region of the insole to the rear of said rib being skived to produce a beVeled region of reduced thickness, the inner heel region of said insole being inclined upwardly from approximately its longitudinal center to the inner marginaledge thereof, said upper-forming members consisting of an outer covering and an inner lining, a heelleveling insert having a Wedge-shaped heel seg-- ment applied to the inclined heelregion of the sole, said insert comprising a curved body shaped to conformto the inner shank regions of the shoe, :the forward portion of saidv body in registration with the ball portion of theinsole being shaped to produce a pad-receiving pocket, .a counter surrounding the heel region of the shoe and positioned between the outer covering and inner lining or a shoe upper in clamping engagement with said insert, and a metallic shank stiffener engaged with said insole and extending from the heel to the ball of the latter across its shank region, :saidstiffene'r having a plurality of spaced leg members, one of which is disposed .in registration with and underlying the unribbed inner shank region of the insole, the forward end of said stiffener being formed to constitute a seat for the reception of a pad positioned in the pocket of said insert.

6. In a shoe, a heel-leveling insert comprising a body adapted to be positioned between the outer covering and inner lining of a shoe upper,

said body terminating adjacent to its heel end in in which it is positioned tothe ball or metatarsal region of a. shoe, and a. pocket formed at the forward end of the insert shaped to receive 2. metatarsal shoe pad. i ii i HIRAM GORDON.

v 5 a. wedge-shapedsegment, said body being of such length as to extend'from the heel region of ashoe' 

